The Ghost in the Machine
by Tamara Reuveni
Summary: The team's latest POI is a forensic anthropologist and bestselling author whose tendency to rush headlong into danger makes her very difficult to protect. But her husband could have told them that.
1. The New Number

_A/N_ _– This is the first crossover I've ever written, and I am shocked that no one on this site has ever thought of this combination before. It seemed so obvious to me._

' _The Ghost in the Machine' was both the title of a Bones episode – one of my favorites - and the title of Harold Finch's favorite book, so it seemed an appropriate title for this little collision of worlds. The book is real, by the way. It was written by Arthur Koestler in 1967. I attempted to read it but couldn't get past the first chapter. If anyone has managed to finish it, please tell me what the heck it's about._

 _Updates might be slow because I just had a baby and life is, as you can imagine, a little chaotic. I hope you enjoy, and if you want to make me smile, leave a review._

* * *

 **The Ghost in the Machine**

Reese was walking Bear in Central Park when his earbud beeped. He hardly ever took the thing out anymore except to shower and when he spent the night with Zoe. (For the latter activity, he wrapped the bud in a glove and took the battery out of his phone. Which was overkill he knew, but for some things you couldn't have too much privacy.) He reached up to touch his ear as though he had an itch, although any observer would figure out the real reason as soon as he started talking to himself.

" _We have a new number, Mr. Reese,"_ said his boss's voice as soon as the bud was active.

"Good morning to you too, Harold." Bear perked up at the sound of the name, but when he saw no sign of the man himself, he went back to investigating all the scents to be found on a certain lamppost and adding a few of his own. "So who is it not a good morning for?" Reese asked.

" _Dr. Temperance Brennen."_

"Temperance. Unusual name. What's she a doctor of?"

" _Forensic anthropology. She's employed at the Jeffersonian Institute in Washington D.C., but for the past ten years, she's become very involved with the FBI. She's consulted on hundreds of cases and never failed to solve one yet."_

"So she's put quite a few bad guys behind bars," Reese said. "Maybe someone wants payback."

" _A distinct possibility. I'm compiling a list of likely suspects as we speak. But there's another aspect of her life that could also present a threat. In addition to her real life crime solving, she writes bestselling mystery novels._ "

"Doesn't sound like a very hazardous occupation."

" _Until you consider the number of celebrities who are stalked and murdered by obsessed fans._ "

"Good point," Reese admitted. "So do I need to go to D.C.?"

" _Actually, she landed at La Guardia Airport twenty minutes ago. She has reservations at the Roosevelt Hotel._ "


	2. The Happy Family

The picture Finch sent him showed a woman in her late thirties. Wavy brown hair, fair skin, and strikingly blue eyes. She was pretty, he thought, but when he saw her in person, getting out of a cab in front of the hotel, he revised that opinion upward a notch or three. She had a quality about her – energy; passion; determination perhaps. Whatever you wanted to call it, it made you want to look again. And again. If she noticed the appreciative looks she got from the doorman, the bellhop, and every other male in a five foot radius, she gave no sign. Reese ordered Bear to stay and followed her inside, cloning her phone as he walked.

" _She's in New York for a forensic sciences convention,"_ Finch said in his ear. _"She's giving a presentation on…something that will probably prove to be vaguely gruesome once I've looked up a few of the longer words."_

"I thought big words were your specialty," Reese teased.

" _No, computers are my specialty. When it comes to the intricacies of the human skeletal system, I suspect you are more knowledgeable than me."_

As Temperance Brennen accepted her room key from the concierge, Reese noticed a ring on her hand. "She's married, Finch," he said.

" _Yes. Her husband, Seeley Booth, is an FBI agent."_

"Seeley. Another unusual name. Any kids?"

" _One. A three year old daughter named Christine. However, they've only been married a little over a year._ "

"Not everyone does these things in the traditional order, Harold."

" _I wasn't judging. I was merely giving you all the facts. Mr. Booth does have another child. A thirteen year old son named Parker. He lives in London with his mother, Rebecca Stinson._ "

Temperance Brennen got on the elevator, and Reese headed back outside. He'd assessed everyone in the hotel lobby. No one besides him was following her. Whatever the danger was, it wasn't here yet. Bear was sitting exactly where Reese had left him. Reese patted his head and told him he was a _goed hond_.

His phone beeped. Temperance Brennen was making call. A man picked up on the other end. _"Hey, Bones,"_ he said. " _How's the Big Apple?"_

" _Big, but not particularly apple-like._ "

Finch's voice overlapped hers in Reese's ear, saying incredulously, " _Bones?_ "

"It's better than Temperance," Reese pointed out while the man, her husband he assumed, chuckled in affectionate exasperation.

" _I knew you were going to say that. Please tell me you're going to do_ something _besides sit in conference rooms with squints and discuss squinty things._ "

" _As a matter of fact, I'm meeting an old college friend for dinner tonight?"_

" _Anyone I know?"_

" _No, you've never met her."_

Reese smiled. He could almost see the man relaxing as soon as he heard the feminine pronoun.

" _Well, have fun. Christine wants to talk to you. I'm just about to drop her off at daycare._ "

A high, lisping voice came over the phone. _"Mommy?"_

" _Hi, sweetheart. Are you being good for Daddy?"_

" _Yeah. We had Mickey Mouse pancakes for breakfast. When are you coming home, Mommy?"_

" _In just a couple days, baby. I promise. Would you like me to bring you a present?"_

" _Yeah! A dolly."_

" _Okay. You be very good for Daddy and Grandpa Max, and I'll bring you a new dolly. I love you, sweetheart."_

" _I love you too, Mommy. Will you call to tuck me in tonight?"_

" _Of course I will. Have a good time at daycare. Give the phone back to Daddy now._ "

With every word he heard, Reese's determination to protect this woman grew. That innocent little girl was not going to be robbed of her mother.

The husband came back on the phone. _"Don't worry about us, Bones. Enjoy your vacation. We'll just be counting the minutes until you get back."_

She laughed. _"I miss you too, Booth. I'll call again tonight. I love you."_

" _I love you too, Bones. Be safe."_

" _Sounds like a happy family,"_ Finch said when the call ended.

"Yes, it does," Reese said. "Let's keep it that way."


	3. My Father, the Bank Robber

_A/N_

 _I'd like to publicly thank Afalstein for the lovely review. If you like POI crossovers, you should definitely check out his stories. I especially recommend "New Guy", a POI/ 30 Rock mashup. It is hilarious._

 _See, people, this is the reward for being brave and sharing your thoughts. You read my stories, and I'll read yours. But if you don't review, I have no way of knowing who you are. You're just numbers on a pageview tracker. Be more than a number. Stand up and shout your opinions for the whole world to hear._

* * *

Temperance Brennen spent the rest of the morning in the hotel's conference hall, listening to a lecture on racial and regional identification markers found in bones. Once he was certain that she would be occupied for a while, Reese strapped Bear into the service vest he always kept in his coat pocket for these occasions, lifted a master key from the bellhop, and let himself into her room.

Bear took his time smelling everything thoroughly but didn't turn up anything. No drugs, no bombs, not even a gun. Reese had no more luck. She'd taken her laptop to the lecture. There were just clothes, toiletries, a book on Norse mythology, and a notebook filled with obsessively neat handwriting. He read a few pages from this last item and discovered that it was a rough draft of her next novel. She was a good writer, as far as he could judge. Her sex scenes were especially…imaginative. (He made a mental note to try that move on Zoe.)

" _Mr. Reese, are you there?"_ said the voice in his ear.

He cleared his throat and quickly shut the notebook. "Yes, Finch. Please tell me you have something because I'm coming up empty."

" _As a matter of fact, I've found something very interesting. You recall she mentioned a Grandpa Max when she was talking to her daughter?"_

"Yeah. Her father or her husband's?"

" _Hers. His full name is Max Keenan, and the FBI has an impressive file on him. Apparently, he and his wife, Ruth Keenan, were quite the criminal duo in their day. Very Bonnie and Clyde._ "

"Except that they didn't get gunned down by the police."

" _No, they did not. Instead, one day at the height of their career, they simply disappeared together with their two children – seven year old Kyle Keenan, and two year old Joy Keenan. At about the same time, Matthew and Christine Brennen bought a house in Chicago._ "

"Let me guess. They had two children."

" _A seven year old son name Russel, and a two year old daughter named Temperance."_

"So they tried to give up their life of crime and start over. How long did that last?"

" _Almost thirteen years. During that time, there were no crimes that matched their MO anywhere in the country. But in December of 1991, they disappeared again, and this time they left their children behind. Just went out to do some Christmas shopping and never came back. Russel was a legal adult by then, but Temperance ended up in foster care for the next few years."_

That had to be traumatic, Reese thought. No wonder the girl had devoted her life to identifying faceless, nameless corpses, giving strangers the closure she'd never had. "Since she now calls her father by his real name," he said, "I assume she found out the truth eventually."

" _Yes. About eight years ago, she identified her mother's remains. After that, it didn't take her long to put the rest of the pieces together. Her father resurfaced a few months later. It appears that she actually assisted the FBI in apprehending him."_

That didn't surprise Reese. She might have been willing to bend the rules for a father who'd raised her and cared for her. But for a man who'd abandoned her to the notoriously uncaring foster system, she had no reason to feel loyalty. Still, if she now trusted him to babysit his grandchild, they must have mended their bridges. "You think the threat might be from one of her father's former criminal associates?"

" _It's certainly possible. Interestingly, he wasn't tried for any of those crimes. There wasn't enough evidence. Instead he was charged with murdering the Deputy Director of the FBI."_

"Wait, I heard about that. Robert Kirby. The guy was found crucified on top of a hotel in D.C. It came out that he'd been part of some kind of conspiracy within the Bureau." He'd just joined the CIA when the whole thing hit the news.

" _Yes,"_ Finch said. _"A conspiracy centering on a bank robbery task force from the 60s."_

"The task force that was chasing Max Keenan's crew." It seemed that Temperance Brennen's life was a lot less boring than it appeared on the surface.


	4. Old Friends

Temperance's dinner date was a Laura Carson. They had indeed gone to college together but hadn't had much contact since starting their respective careers. Laura was an insurance investigator specializing in art theft.

"It's a small step from recovering stolen paintings to stealing them yourself," Reese pointed out. He was sitting at the restaurant's bar, apparently trying to set a record for the slowest drinking of a scotch. That was the easiest way to blend in without significantly dulling his reflexes. He'd also ordered the drink with ice so that it would dilute itself the longer it sat.

" _Ms. Carson's reputation is spotless as far as I can tell,_ " Finch said. Reese heard a crunching noise in the background, like a tank rolling over a gravel road. Bear was getting his supper. _"And even if she is a criminal, how would that involve Dr. Brennen?"_

"Brennen works at one of the most prestigious museums in the country. Maybe Carson intends to make her a patsy, or blackmail her into helping with a heist."

Suddenly, Reese's concentration was broken by a familiar voice saying, "John?" He turned to see Zoe Morgan walking toward him, a mischievous smile curling her lips.

" _Who is that?"_ Finch asked.

"Zoe," Reese answered both of them. "You following me?"

"I was going to ask you the same thing." She took the stool next to his, their arms brushing. "I had a business meeting here. What's your excuse?"

"I'm working."

"Ah. So who's lucky enough to have John Reese for their guardian angel tonight?"

"Behind me at your three o'clock. The woman in the blue dress."

Zoe's gaze drifted casually in that direction. "Hmm. Pretty," she murmured. "Should I be jealous?"

He honestly couldn't tell if she was joking. "She's married," he said.

"Lucky guy. What kind of trouble is she in?"

"Haven't figured that out yet. Hang on." He returned his attention to the conversation in his ear. The women had paid their check and were gathering their things. "I think I have to go."

"I'll walk out with you," Zoe said. "I was about to head home anyway."

They left the restaurant just ahead of Temperance and Laura. Zoe's car was waiting at the curb. Her driver opened the door for her, but she turned back to Reese for a moment. "I guess this means I won't be seeing you for a few days."

"Probably not," he said, keeping half his attention on the two women saying their own goodbyes behind him.

"Well, if you need anything," Zoe said, "you have my number." She leaned up and lightly brushed her lips over his. Then she got into the car. The driver shut the door, gave Reese a look that was one part amusement and two parts pity, and went around to the other side.

As the dark car pulled away, he returned his full attention to Temperance, although he remained facing the street, apparently lost in thought which was understandable for a man who'd just been kissed by Zoe Morgan. Laura had hailed a cab and was trying to convince Temperance to ride with her even though the hotel was only two blocks away.

"No, it's okay," Temperance said. "I'll walk. I've been sitting in lectures all day. I need the exercise."

"You really shouldn't, Tempe," Laura protested. "Don't you know what the crime rate is around here?"

"Actually, it's fallen drastically in the last year. It's probably worse in D.C. Besides, I've had some self-defense training. I'm sure I'll be fine."

"Well, just stick to the main streets. Don't take any shortcuts through sketchy alleys." Laura leaned in to hug Temperance goodbye, but Reese noticed her real intention. Her hand slipped briefly into Temperance's coat pocket.

"Finch," he said, "Carson just planted something on our target. Maybe a tracker." He turned and walked right past the two women, managing to clone Laura's phone before she climbed into the cab. He stopped at a shop window to let Temperance get a safe distance ahead of him, then picked up her trail again. He'd been following her for less than a minute when his phone beeped. Laura Carson was calling a blocked number.

" _Yes?"_ said an electronically distorted voice.

" _It's done,"_ Laura said. _"You should be getting the signal now."_

" _Good work, Laura,"_ the voice said. _"Now go home and get some sleep. Your part is over."_

" _So we're even?"_

" _No, but we're getting there."_

" _You won't hurt her, right?"_

" _As long as Columbus cooperates, she'll come through this without a scratch."_

" _And if he doesn't cooperate?"_

" _He will. His family has always been his weakness. It was a pleasure doing business with you, Laura. We'll talk again soon."_ The call ended.

"Finch, did you get all that?" Reese asked. He was already closing the space between him and Temperance. If he could get that tracker out of her pocket, maybe he could lead the threat away from her.

But even as Finch said, _"Yes, Mr. Reese,"_ a van with blacked out windows passed Reese and slowed to keep pace with Temperance. He broke into a run.


	5. The Man in the Suit

_A/N \- I just realized as I was writing this chapter, that I haven't said exactly when this story is taking place, so let's clear that up. It's the early middle of season 2. Root is posing as Miss May inside the Office of Special Council, and Shaw is still working for the government. Neither of them are going to appear in this story. _

_I'd like to publicly thank Crisdin and that guest reviewer from France for taking the time to share their thoughts. If you're a "Leverage" fan, you should check out Crisdin's story 'The Fanfic Job'._

 _Now, back to the story._

* * *

Two men in masks jumped out of the van. They moved quickly and professionally, one getting behind Temperance while the other came at her from the front. She showed good instincts, biting the hand that tried to clamp over her mouth and kicking out wildly, but the men knew how to coordinate their attack. They circled so she could never see both of them.

And then Reese joined the party. He used no particular strategy or style, just hit every part of them in reach. He didn't give them a chance to think because then they would realize they had him outnumbered, and one could get away with the real target while the other stayed behind to fend off the unexpected complication. Fortunately, Temperance took the opportunity to run which made Reese's job much simpler. He got in a couple more hits to slow the men down and took off after her.

She yelled and twisted away when he grabbed her arm, but he held on. With that tracker still in her pocket, she had no chance of escaping on her own. "It's all right," he said as calmingly as he could while running. "I'm not going to hurt you. I can get you to safety if you'll trust me."

She faltered, then glanced back and saw the two masked men catching up fast. "Okay," she said. "Where do we go?"

"This way." He guided her around the corner, and there, by a miracle of good timing, was a bus pulling up to its stop. They dived through the doors as soon as they opened, and Reese immediately headed toward the emergency exit at the back. "Check your left coat pocket," he said.

She obeyed and pulled out a small piece of black plastic. "What is that?" she asked, sounding more curious than alarmed.

"A GPS tracker." He took it from her, tossed it under a seat, and pulled open the rear door. They jumped out and closed the door just as the bus started to move. Reese tugged Temperance down behind a parked car seconds before the kidnappers came into sight again. One of the men checked something on a cell phone and pointed after the disappearing bus again. "Good," Reese said. "That ought to keep them guessing for a while, but we shouldn't linger. Come on."

" _Mr. Reese,"_ said Finch's worried voice as they started walking again, _"if you're no longer in immediate danger, I would appreciate an update on the situation."_

"It was a kidnapping, Finch. Professional. Three men – two to grab her and one to drive the car, all wearing masks. I got the tracker off her and sent them on a wild goose chase, but they'll probably have someone watching the hotel just in case. I'm taking her to the safe house until we sort this out."

" _I'll meet you there,"_ Finch said. _"Keep this line open."_

"Who are you talking to?" Temperance asked. She was still following him, but she looked wary, tensed to run again.

"My boss," Reese said. "Look, I know you're scared and confused, but I'm not going to hurt you."

"How did you know that tracker was in my pocket?"

"I saw someone put it there. At the restaurant." He decided to leave Laura Carson out of it for now.

"So you were watching me? For how long?"

"Since this morning."

"Why? Did you know this was going to happen?" When he hesitated to answer, she stopped walking and folded her arms. "I'm not going anywhere with you until you tell me who you are and why you've been following me all day."

He stopped too. She had a steely glint in her eye that reminded him of Zoe. She really wasn't going to budge until she got what she wanted.

" _Mr. Reese,"_ Finch said warningly. _"Be careful what you say."_

"I know, I know," he muttered. "This isn't my first rodeo."

Temperance raised an eyebrow, waiting.

"I have this friend," he began. "Well, more a friend of a friend really. She" – he settled for Root's preferred pronoun to simplify things – "hears things, about people who are about to get hurt, or who are planning to hurt others. She doesn't like to see people hurt, so she warns us, and we try to help. Today she told us to keep an eye on you."

Temperance's eyes narrowed as she processed this. "Why doesn't she help these people herself if she cares so much?"

"She can't. She's sort of…housebound."

Finch chuckled. _"That's actually quite an accurate description."_

"Well, can I meet her, thank her for saving my life?"

"No. She doesn't meet people, and gratitude doesn't mean anything to her anyway."

"Does she expect payment?"

"No, she's got no use for money."

"So she does this out of kindness?"

"I seriously doubt she knows the meaning of that either. Look, I've said as much as I can. Can we please go now?"

Temperance hesitated a moment more, but then she nodded, and they started to walk again. "Do you have a name?" she asked.

"John."

She accepted that without comment.

He smiled. "Usually people say 'of course' or 'yeah, right'."

She shrugged. "It's a common name, which is why so many people use it as a fake name, but it's just as likely that it's really your name. At least it's better than 'mysterious man in a suit'."

He looked at her quickly, but if she knew about New York's latest urban legend, she didn't seem the type to believe it. "I agree," he said, "and my name really is John."

"I'm Dr. Temperance Brennen."

"I know."

"Your friend told you?"

"Actually, she prefers to let us work that part out for ourselves. She's a big believer in self-sufficiency."

"Is that as annoying as it sounds?"

"You have no idea."


End file.
